Electric coop eyes construction of mini hydro power plants in South Cotabato

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, March 12 (PNA) -– Power distribution utility South Cotabato Electric Cooperative (Socoteco) is pushing for the immediate development of mini hydroelectric plants in at least two major river systems in South Cotabato to help stabilize the area’s power requirements within the next two to three years.

Engr. Santiago Tudio, Socoteco-I general manager, said they are currently studying the viability of developing the river systems in Lake Sebu and Tampakan towns in South Cotabato as alternative power resources in the wake of the worsening power shortage in Mindanao.

He said their initial assessment showed that the river system in Sepaka, Lake Sebu and in Barangay Tablu in Tampakan have potentials of generating at least 20-megawatts (MW) of renewable power supplies.

“These resources may later stabilize our power requirements and even supply the needs of our neighboring areas,” he told the Philippines News Agency.

Tudio said they initially proposed to the Provincial Development Council (PDC) of South Cotabato for the development of a 10 MW hydroelectric plant in Lake Sebu town.

He said that based on estimates, the construction of the hydroelectric plant will cost at least P120 million per megawatt or a total of P1.1 billion.

“Right now, we’re trying to bring in some domestic and foreign investors to finance the project,” Tudio said.

Two years ago, Socoteco-I initially planned to develop a portion of the famed Seven Falls in Lake Sebu for the proposed hydroelectric plant. Socoteco officials tried to enlist a group of Japanese investors to finance the project but it later fizzled out.

Tudio said they scrapped the proposed project as it might affect later on the provincial government’s efforts to develop the seven waterfalls of Lake Sebu as a tourist destination.

“So far, our main problem is the financing part. Right now, most investors are very wary of putting their money here in Mindanao because of the peace and order situation,” he said.

Socoteco-I, which has an average power demand of 28 MW, serves at least nine municipalities and one city in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces.

Its service area has been experiencing rotational brownouts that last for five to six hours daily due to a load shedding scheme implemented by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

The long brownouts were blamed on the drastic decline of the generating capacities of the National Power Corporation’s hydroelectric plants due to the El Nino-triggered reduction of the water levels of Lake Lanao and the Agus and Pulangi river systems.(PNA)
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